Topic: UN's Role of Addressing Sectarian and Ethnic Conflict within a Nation
Country: Uganda
Delegate Name: Ian Sheets
School: Williamston High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Uganda position papers GLIMUN 2008 committees
Uganda has a very diverse makeup much like that of many other African countries. This diversity in the past and the present has led to conflict. The threats of ethnic problems cannot be eliminated in the short run. There are man made problems which have to be overcome, such as the security of the individual minorities and of our borders. Often ethnic problems are not neatly intrastate problems-they involve regional conflict.
Intervention by the UN is, by its very nature, antithetical to our sovereignty. It is important that government is firmly established and intervention often appears to be similar to colonial rule. The UN promotes dialogue between conflicted parties. It does not have the resources or the mandate to govern. It may be able to hold the parties in a conflict at arm’s length for sufficient time to seek peaceful resolution of the conflict. The U.N.’s function is to propose a resolution to the conflict which may involve many years of differing strategies. It is possible that the African Union may also provide peace keeping forces but in a regional conflict, that may be more difficult as peace keepers must be seen to be neutral.
The people of Uganda desire to establish a firm state where all people are accorded human dignity and rights. This has to go hand in hand with economic development. The prosperity will obviate the need for sustained intervention. There must be home grown initiatives to help leaders develop. Africans have to help themselves too. Aid in the form of money has not solved problems in the past and must be directed wisely and into the right hands. Hopefully the UN will provide a peaceful framework so that the parties may discuss how to resolve these problems without entering into armed conflict.
